MISCELLANEOUS ESSAYS. 



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the scene that presented itself to 

 my view, prevented my pro- 

 ceeding for some moments ; a 

 gentleman, plainly, but 2;ei)tecly 

 dressed, slood with his back to- 

 wards me, before a poor old 

 lame woman, whose hands were 

 raised to heaven, and her eyes 

 bathed in tears. 



" ' God bless your honour,' said 

 she, in broken sentences, ' for 

 your goodness to me ! — I must 

 have perished for wanf, when 

 my poor son James died, who 

 maintained me and my blind 

 daughter, if it had not been for 

 your lionour ! 



" *I hope God Almighty will re- 

 ward you, for your bounty to me 

 and her ! But dear young gen- 

 tleman, I am afraid you distress 

 yourself on our account, for you 

 have no parents, nor an indepcn- 

 dant fortune, and I know how 

 many wants a young nobleman, 

 who lives at court, has/ 

 " ' Make yourself easy on that 

 account, good woman,' was his 

 reply ; ' what I give you I can 

 spare without any inconvenience 

 to m}se!f. Tlie money 1 give 

 you, 1 used to apply to another 

 purpose, but now it is better cui- 

 ploycd.' 



" ' We -will pray fur your ho- 

 nour as well as f(jr his highness 

 the duke, who is likewise a friend 

 and benefactor to the poor,' was 

 the woman's reply, *■ God bless 

 both you and him !' 

 " I was s6 much alfecfed that I 

 could hardly help joining in tlic 

 poor woman's ejaculation ; tears 

 started into my ejes, and I was 

 happy to find that I was n)yself 

 again. 



" 'lam gladthatl was at court,' 

 said I to myself. ' Haw cau tliu 

 Vol. XL V J 1. 



" court help my being unacquaint- 

 " ed with its customs ; good peo- 

 " pic are to be found at court, as 

 " every where else, but their man- 

 " ners differ from ours. In ciy 

 " own sphere I believe I am toler- 

 " able, and I hope I shall never 

 " soar beyond it again.' 



" The young man, after bidding 

 the old woman fare.vcli, turned 

 round and approached the door; 

 and you may judge of my sur- 

 prise, when I perceiFcd that he 

 was one of the two gentlemen 

 " that had endeavoured to enter- 

 " tain me a few hours befoiSi. ilis 

 " voice seemed familiar to me before 

 '• I saw his face, but the flurry I 

 '• was in at the time, and his having 

 changed his coat, prevented my 

 entertaining the least idea of his 

 being one of my former com- 

 panions. He waJs as much sur- 

 prise4 at finding me there, as I 

 was at seeing him. 

 " ' This is an unexpected plea- 

 '^ sure indeed,' said he, shaking my 

 " hand : ' you was called awaj' so 

 " abruptly, that we liad not time to 

 " take, leave of you ! but where are 

 " you going to now .'' 



'' I now told him that I had 

 " missed my way to Ilenningstone, 

 " and that I was in search of a 

 guide. He immediately oll'ered 

 to conduct me there, and on my 

 objecting to liis doing so, he 

 politely assured me, that I should 

 " deprive him of a pleasure, if I rc- 

 " fused to let him go with me. 

 " ' It is not our supper-time yet,' 

 " said he : ' the rain is over, the 

 " evening pleasant, and I assure 

 " you the satisfaction your com- 

 " pany will afl'ord, will amply 

 " reward me for the trouble of 

 " going a little out of my way.' 

 " We wentj aud his entertaining 

 3 P <' #ouversatioa' 



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